INT. A PLANE - DAY
GRAY DANSLINGER, a somewhat chubby businessman, sits in a
seat leafing through the Skymall magazine. He notices a
small box that projects slides of comic book pages. He jots
down some info on a PDA. A STEWARDESS turns on the intercom.
STEWARDESS:
We are beginning our descent into
Reagan National now, so please make
sure that your seatbelt is buckled
and that your tray table and
seatback are in the upright
position. The weather is a lovely
75 degrees. There are reports of a
hail storm in some of the
surrounding neighborhoods, so
residents are advised to appraise
their property upon arrival.
WITHERSPOON:
So you see what I'm saying about
product 8871? Maximum sell
through.
GRAY:
Sure.
WITHERSPOON:
That's the terrible thing about
being the best: So many in second
place.
GRAY:
Was I-?
WITHERSPOON:
Well, it was never a close race,
Gray.
GRAY:
I'm sure you must be used to just
being close to something.
Greatness, perhaps.
EXT. THE DANSLINGER HOME - DAY
We focus on a dying tree, propped up by a cross-section of
wooden planks. We pull back to find DANA DANSLINGER, a tan
and blonde suburban housewife, inspecting the house. JUDY
SAMSON, another blonde suburban housewife, is holding a dog
on a leash. It is urinating in DANA'S yard.
JUDY:
Did you get any damage, Dana?
DANA:
I think the car is a bit dinged up.
JUDY:
What about that tree? Looks ready
to keel over.
DANA:
Gray keeps that for sentimental
reasons.
JUDY:
Has Jerry Vail reported on the
storm yet?
DANA:
I called the station as it was
happening. I'm sure it will be on
soon.
JUDY:
And you're out here missing it?
DANA:
I Tivo'd it.
JERRY DANSLINGER, the 8 year old son, rushes out of the
house.
DANA:
You slow down, young man!
JERRY:
I've got to meet Mike and Tom at
the gas station.
DANA:
You're going to get fat from all
that candy and soda.
JUDY:
Children don't get fat, Dana.
DANA:
Could you please have your dog shit
somewhere else?
JERRY:
(stunned)
You said a bad word.
DANA:
Go. Go play with your friends.
JERRY needs no convincing. As he runs off, GRAY pulls up in
his sedan. He gets out and inspects DANA looking at the
house.
GRAY:
Did we get hit?
More neighbors, JEROME and CINDY, have appeared at the edge
of the yard. JEROME holds a can of beer.
JEROME:
They're saying it's just a five
block radius.
GRAY:
Damn, that's strange.
JEROME:
Hand of God, man.
GRAY:
(suspicious)
Is that some sort of threat?
JEROME:
I hear Radio Shack lost a whole
shipment of batteries on the
loading dock.
GRAY:
(softly, to himself)
I am a man of means and ambition.
I have built a tolerably propitious
relationship with the world.
JEROME:
You say something, Gray?
GRAY:
No.
JEROME:
I think that tree's about to go.
GRAY:
It's not my fault.
JEROME takes another drink of his beer.
DANA:
The window in the tool shed broke,
Gray.
JEROME:
I know a good glass man.
GRAY'S eyes narrow with pure hatred.
INT. THE DANSLINGER HOME - EVENING
DANA is cooking dinner. GRAY sits in a recliner in the
living room, arranging bottles of pills on the end table. He
has a line of pills laid out before him. DANA looks in from
the kitchen and sees this. She rolls her eyes. The sound of
FOOTSTEPS DESCENDS THE STAIRS. It is ROBERT, their teenage
son.
ROBERT:
Mom, whatever you're cooking, it
smells horrible.
DANA:
(to GRAY)
Are you going to let him talk like
that to me?
GRAY:
Robert, address her as "mother",
please.
DANA tosses a pot holder at him.
GRAY:
What did I do?
ROBERT:
I don't want to start a fight, but-
GRAY:
Run while you can. She'll have the
water boiling in a minute and that
will leave permanent scars.
ROBERT rushes back upstairs. GRAY scoops the pills up and
begins to swallow them. DANA re-enters from the kitchen,
waving a spatula.
DANA:
And it's not just how you two team
up against me.
GRAY:
What team?
DANA:
We should be the team. Not you and
Robert!
GRAY:
I'm in pain.
DANA:
Oh, the old war wound?
GRAY:
Yes.
DANA:
Gray, you hurt your knee playing
tennis. Four years ago. And you
spend all your time popping pills
now.
GRAY:
I go to work.
DANA:
You walk to the rail station. That
certainly doesn't hurt your knee.
But you're practically on crutches
to see the doctor.
GRAY:
I am a man of means and-
DANA:
Oh, good lord. Save your damn
Speech, Gray.
GRAY:
It's in my head. It's my interior
monologue.
DANA:
Try providing for your family.
GRAY looks around the room.
DANA:
And before you even say it: The god
damn coffee table.
GRAY:
It was impractical.
DANA:
It was a marble beauty with a
quartz overlay. And it was a steal
at that price. It matches the
couch and-
GRAY:
I'm not a cash machine.
DANA:
But you are a machine.
GRAY:
What does that mean?
DANA:
(mocking robot voice)
Does not compute.
INT. ROBERT'S ROOM - SAME TIME
ROBERT is on the phone with BEVERLY D'ANGLIO, his near
girlfriend.
ROBERT:
So I think they should have another
child. It's what the family needs
for balance. Then we would have
three children, each 8 years
younger than the next. My mom is
going to enter menopause soon and
she won't have anymore eggs.
That's why I'm slipping carrots
into the meals.
INT. BEVERLY'S ROOM - SAME TIME
BEVERLY is a classic goth girl and her room reflects this.
It is nearly black and dead flowers are thumbtacked to the
walls.
BEVERLY:
Why carrots?
INT. ROBERT'S ROOM - SAME TIME
ROBERT:
I heard somewhere that they make
semen more potent.
Just trying to help my dad out. He
doesn't wear boxers.
INT. BEVERLY'S ROOM - SAME TIME
BEVERLY:
You really spend that much time
thinking about your parents having
sex?
INT. ROBERT'S ROOM - SAME TIME
ROBERT:
Sometimes. I'm more concerned with
the end result than the actual act,
if that makes sense.
INT. BEVERLY'S ROOM - SAME TIME
BEVERLY:
How many times do you think your
mom has had your dad's cock in her
mouth?
INT. ROBERT'S ROOM - SAME TIME
ROBERT:
Shut up! You're sick! How can you
ask me that?
INT. THE DANSLINGER HOME - SAME TIME
DANA:
Because those pieces appreciate,
Gray. I'm surprised you don't
understand investments. You should
be thankful I'm here to guide you
to-
GRAY:
I would break my foot on that
thing. That's why you want it. To
see me in traction.
DANA:
Yeah. You're absolutely right. I
want a husband in so much pain that
he's chronically addicted to
painkillers. You want some wine
with your pills?
GRAY:
I'm not whining!
They stop and look at each other.
DANA:
Where is Jerry?
INT. THE DANSLINGER HOME - EVENING
GRAY stands at the door, his jacket on. DANA is talking to
ROBERT at the foot of the stairs.
DANA:
And don't worry, it's probably
nothing. If he comes back, call me
on my cell phone. Do not call your
father's cell phone because he
doesn't know how to answer it.
When the police get here, give them
Jerry's school photo. His new
school photo, not last year's. He
had different hair then and his
nose was more up-turned. And call
me if the Small's or the
Gulockner's call.
ROBERT:
What do I do if he comes back?
DANA:
Call me. I already told you that.
ROBERT:
But should I call the police and-
DANA:
I'll handle it. Call me right away
if he comes back.
INT. GRAY'S SEDAN - MINUTES LATER
GRAY has started to go under the fog of the painkillers. He
is disoriented and sleepy.
GRAY:
So what are we looking for? Lost
dog?
DANA:
Your son, Gray.
GRAY:
Maybe we should boil our water.
DANA:
Are you okay to drive?
GRAY:
Absolutely not.
DANA:
Let me drive, then.
GRAY:
No. I don't like anyone else
driving when I'm not sober.
DANA begins to run the window up and down, staring out the
side as they drive.
GRAY:
Maybe we should split up.
The window stops in mid-rise. DANA stares hard out the
window and then closes her eyes. She is suddenly full of
rage.
DANA:
Okay. But you get the best damn
lawyer you can find because I will
take you to the cleaners.
Everything was brought into that
house by me, I'll take the kids,
I'll take every dime. You'll move
back in with Doris.
There is a pause.
GRAY:
I meant we should split up to find
Bobby.
DANA:
He prefers Robert now and we're
looking for Jerry anyway.
INT. THE DANSLINGER HOME - SAME TIME
ROBERT is talking to DEPUTY DANIELS.
ROBERT:
He was going to the gas station to
play with some friends.
DANIELS:
Okay. And that was Tommy Smalls
and Michael Gulockner?
ROBERT:
Yes. Why? Are they missing too?
DANIELS:
They haven't returned home, no.
ROBERT:
You don't think-
DANIELS:
They're boys. They're probably
shooting off illegal fireworks in
the woods. They'll come home, they
always do.
ROBERT:
Can I ask you something?
DANIELS:
You can see my gun with your eyes,
not with your hands.
ROBERT:
No, I mean- Well, that's cool.
But what I wanted to ask was, is
there a limit to how much you
should masturbate?
DANIELS closes his metal clipboard and looks ROBERT in the
eye.
DANIELS:
If blood comes out or you get a
rash, take a few days off.
ROBERT:
He watches me.
DANIELS:
Who?
ROBERT:
Jerry.
DANIELS stiffens.
ROBERT:
Like, I do it so much that I have
to tell my mom I've got chronic
diarrhea. But he'll go out on the
back deck and act like he's playing
with his army men, but I see him
looking at me through the window.
(beat)
You don't think some pervert got
hold of him, do you?
DANIELS:
Like I said, they always come home.
(beat)
What you just said is not healthy
behavior on either of your parts.
Please, shut the blinds when you do
it.
ROBERT:
I used to use socks. I would flush
them down the toilet after I was
finished. I got the whole system
backed up and my parents had to pay
some company to come over and snake
the drains.
DANIELS:
Well...don't do that either.
INT. THE DANSLINGER HOME - EVENING
GRAY and DANA are just walking in the door. ROBERT is
leafing through a magazine.
DANA:
So? No word?
ROBERT:
The cop said-
DANA:
Don't say cop, it's disrespectful.
Say officer.
ROBERT:
I think he was a deputy.
DANA:
I don't care. Do you think Jerry
Vail would refer to an officer as a
cop?
ROBERT:
Anyway, he said that you can't file
a missing person's report for 24
hours.
GRAY:
Jerry is not missing. He's with
his friends.
DANA:
Well where are they, Gray?
GRAY:
(suddenly alive)
And with GREAT fortitude, I have
managed to remain a valuable asset
to-
DANA:
(to ROBERT)
God damn it, he's speaking Chinese
again.
(to GRAY)
We don't care about your Speech,
Gray! I don't know what the hell
you have in your head, but we're
not interested!
GRAY is shaken. ROBERT tries to console him.
ROBERT:
It's a good speech, dad. She's
just upset.
DANA:
Has anyone called?
GRAY:
That speech will save this family
one day. You mark my words.
DANA:
Robert. Has anyone called?
ROBERT:
I think grandma called.
DANA:
Which one? Fat Grandma or Smokes
Grandma?
ROBERT:
Well, I'm not sure it was her. It
might have been a prank call.
GRAY:
Was it...dirty?
DANA:
Gray! What a thing to say!
GRAY pulls his sportcoat over the bottom half of his face
like Dracula. DANA throws up her hands in exasperation and
storms upstairs.
INT. THE DANSLINGER BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER
DANA sits on the bed and turns on the television. It is on
the Channel 9 Nightly News, with anchorman JERRY VAIL. He is
a pompous jerk with feathered hair and teeth too-straight and
white.
JERRY VAIL:
Leaving over a dozen homes damaged,
the cost estimated in the
thousands. We go now to Mike
McReady in our Channel 9 Super
Storm Watch Center. But first, I
want to say that I love you, Dana.
DANA bolts up and stares at the screen.
JERRY VAIL:
I would like to bathe you in milk
and then retire to the bed, which
will be covered with rose petals
and surrounded by a dozen scented
candles. Do you like pumpkin
spice, Dana? It's my favorite.
The phone RINGS, pulling DANA out of her daydream. She
answers it.
DANA:
Yes.
(beat)
Okay.
(beat)
What do you mean?
INT. THE DANSLINGER HOME - SAME TIME
ROBERT and GRAY sit, staring at the television, not talking.
There is a SCREAM from upstairs.
INT. GRAY'S SEDAN MINUTES LATER
DANA is hysterical, weeping uncontrollably. ROBERT is text
messaging in the back seat. GRAY just stares at the road
ahead.
GRAY:
Well, it might not be him. It
could be a mix up.
DANA:
(sobbing)
I know it's him.
GRAY:
You don't know because-
DANA:
I KNOW.
GRAY:
Don't give me that mother's
intuition bullshit, okay? Because
that time Robert fell off his bike
and cracked his clavicle, I didn't
even has so much as loose stool.
DANA sobs harder.
GRAY:
Robert, tell your mother she's
wrong.
ROBERT:
Why did I have to come with you?
GRAY:
Because we're a family. We do
things together.
ROBERT looks up from his Sidekick. He looks back down,
shaking his head.
INT. THE HOSPITAL - LATER
DANA rushes into the emergency room lobby yards ahead of GRAY
and ROBERT. Her mascara is running down her cheeks and she
is dabbing at her nose with a tissue. DANIELS is waiting for
them.
DANA:
Where is he?
DANIELS:
Come sit down, Mrs. Danslinger.
DANA:
Oh my god.
GRAY and ROBERT have finally made it to the door.
DANA:
Tell me now.
DANIELS:
I think you need to sit down and
have a glass of water. Mr.
Danslinger, would you-
DANA collapses to the ground. The three men rush to get her
up on her feet again. She is carried to a chair and sat
down. She comes around and begins sobbing again. DANIELS
pulls GRAY aside. They converse briefly and then GRAY walks
back to DANA, his stride unsteady.
DANA:
What did he say? Is it...?
GRAY:
(a long pause and a sigh)
I have to go identify the body.
DANA becomes hysterical again. ROBERT does not know how to
comfort her so he walks away to find a vending machine.
INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDORS - MINUTES LATER
DANIELS leads GRAY towards the hospital's morgue.
DANIELS:
That kid of yours. He's, uh, well,
he's, you know, got some boundary
issues.
GRAY:
He's a teenager. No different from
me or you.
DANIELS:
I wouldn't say that. What I mean
is, he doesn't seem to have
boundaries. I hope you don't take
offense, I just thought you should
know he said some very
inappropriate things to me.
Unsolicited.
GRAY:
What kind of things?
DANIELS:
Take this left, here. He told me
about the socks in the pipes.
GRAY:
Oh, everyone knows about that. I
put it in the Christmas update.
DANIELS stares at him as they walk. When GRAY turns his face
towards him, DANIELS looks away.
INT. THE HOSPITAL - LATER
DANA sits in the lobby, listening to another officer talk
about what the police know.
OFFICER:
The three of them were struck by a
drunk driver on Rural Road 12. He
was apprehended a couple miles down
the road after plowing into a tree.
GRAY appears in the lobby. DANA looks to him with her hopes
slightly up, still, but his face says it all. She breaks
down again. GRAY comforts her, wrapping an arm around her
and resting his head against hers as she sobs. DANA is
chanting a sort of mantra.
DANA:
Why, God? Why, God? Why did you
have to take my son? Why, God?
GRAY:
Now all we've got is the broken
one.
DANA begins to collect herself. She pulls a compact out of
her purse and looks in the small mirror. She tries to wipe
away the mascara streaks.
GRAY:
Leave it, Dana. It doesn't matter.
DANA:
It does matter. Jerry Vail could
be coming. I don't want him to see
me like-
And then she breaks into sobs again.
INT. A FUNERAL HOME - DAY
GRAY sits before LARSON, the funeral director. He is older
than GRAY and has a gravity about him, caused by his
profession. He wears a very nice suit.
GRAY:
And all the time I'm refining The
Speech. I'm sure it will get me
out of danger, that it will save
the lives of everyone in the fam-
But it doesn't. I couldn't look at
my dead son and give that speech to
him.
LARSON:
Words can not bring back the
deceased.
GRAY:
I changed clothes before I came
here.
LARSON:
You look very nice.
GRAY:
My wife made me. I was going to
come in Dockers and a polo shirt
but she said, "Put on a shirt and
tie. Put on a suit."
LARSON:
Do the same for the funeral.
GRAY:
Oh, yeah, sure. But that's staying
with me. "Put on a shirt and tie
" I don't know why that's there.
I can't shake it. It just won't
leave.
(beat)
Why? Why is it important what I
wear today? This isn't the funeral.
No one is going to see me. Except
you.
LARSON:
Except me.
GRAY:
And why do I have to make a good
impression on you when I come to
pick out my son's casket?
LARSON:
(expansively)
Grief does strange things to
people. Perhaps your wife is
trying to maintain a sense of
normalcy. What you wear is not for
my benefit, it is for hers.
GRAY:
Do you have a grief counselor here?
LARSON:
Here? No. But I can refer you.
GRAY:
It's not for me, it's for her.
INT. JERRY'S ROOM - SAME TIME
ROBERT and BEVERLY are laying in bed, fully clothed. Loomer
by My Bloody Valentine is playing softly on the stereo.
ROBERT has a bloody nose and is staunching the flow with a
tissue. He is also cut above the left eye and bruised beside
it.
BEVERLY:
But why did the fight happen?
ROBERT:
I don't know. He was looking at me
weird and I didn't like it.
BEVERLY:
So you hit him?
ROBERT:
Does it look like I hit him? He
hit me.
BEVERLY:
What did you say to him?
ROBERT:
Who keeps track?
(beat)
Thanks for coming over.
He sees fresh cuts on her arms.
ROBERT:
You're doing that again, huh?
BEVERLY:
Now and then. When I need to.
ROBERT:
But why do you do it?
BEVERLY:
I don't know.
ROBERT:
You don't do things for no reason.
You had a reason.
BEVERLY:
But I don't know what it was. I
don't know why you got in a fight
today; do you?
There is a pause.
ROBERT:
I guess now we look alike.
BEVERLY:
(self-conscious)
We don't look anything alike.
You're not ugly like me.
ROBERT:
I just meant that now we've both
got blood on us.
(beat)
I think you're very pretty.
BEVERLY:
(laughing it off)
Right.
ROBERT:
I do. Especially when you're not
bleeding.
BEVERLY:
Do you want to have sex?
ROBERT:
We can't.
BEVERLY:
I can be really quiet.
ROBERT:
No, I mean- This is Jerry's room.
I'm not allowed to have girls in my
room.
BEVERLY looks around the room in silent awe.
ROBERT:
What? What is it?
BEVERLY:
It's just creepy.
INT. THE DANSLINGER BEDROOM - SAME TIME
DANA is on the phone with Channel 9.
DANA:
I want to be interviewed by Jerry
Vail.
(beat)
Yes, one of them was my son.
(beat)
No, one of the two that died.
(beat)
Well, why not?
(beat)
It has tons of human interest.
(becoming upset)
Listen to me, god damn it. I've
earned this. It's not how I wanted
it to happen, I never planned it
like this, but this may be my only
opportunity. I'm grieving and I
need to meet Jerry.
(beat)
F you, lady.
She disconnects the call. She places the phone back in its
cradle on the nightstand. She notices a family portrait in a
small frame by the phone. She pushes it to the floor.
INT. THE DANSLINGER HOME EVENING
The family sits at the dinner table, one seat conspicuously
absent. They are having eggs.
ROBERT:
Why are we having eggs for dinner?
DANA:
They were on sale.
ROBERT:
You hate eggs. You said it's a
chicken abortion.
DANA:
They had a really good deal on
them. I got two dozen.
ROBERT:
Does this mean we'll have dinner
for breakfast?
DANA:
You eat what you want, okay? I'm
finished.
GRAY:
Finished with what?
DANA:
This.
GRAY looks from DANA to ROBERT and the back to DANA.
GRAY:
This? This table? This china
pattern? This conversation?
DANA pulls the napkin from her lap and slams it down on her
plate. She stands and walks out of the room.
ROBERT:
What's wrong with her?
GRAY:
It's hard to say. I don't think
I'm qualified.
INT. THE DANSLINGER HOME - MORNING
DANA is at the dinner table, eating a grapefruit. She wears
a facial mask and is dressed in an old lady nightgown, her
hair in rollers. GRAY stands at the refrigerator, trying to
command his hand to open it.
DANA:
I told Robert that you would pick
him up from practice.
GRAY:
He has practice?
DANA:
Yes.
GRAY:
I didn't know that.
He opens a drawer and pulls out a very small steak knife.
GRAY:
Why do they make them this small?
DANA:
(without looking up)
For kids.
GRAY:
But isn't that dangerous? To make
a child-sized knife? Why, that's
like giving them-
DANA:
A baseball bat or a BB gun or a
hockey stick...
GRAY:
Okay, you're right. But I think
the risk of being stabbed over
dinner should be minimized as much
as possible. I won't let you have
a knife at the table if you're
drinking.
DANA snatches up the grapefruit and tosses it at GRAY,
striking him in the back of the head.
GRAY slowly turns to her and then, with no explanation,
begins to dance a weird jig. DANA grasps her serrated spoon
tightly. GRAY stops dancing and begins to wash his hands
while HUMMING a tune.
GRAY:
What is that? I know that song,
but what is it?
DANA:
It's from that video game that
Jerry plays. Played.
GRAY:
You know, that cop told me that
Robert has boundary issues.
GRAY wipes his hands on a paper towel, still on the roll.
GRAY:
He's such a weird kid.
DANA:
He has a weird father.
GRAY:
You think he'll ever get married?
DANA:
Please dispose of the paper towel
you have used.
GRAY:
What practice do I have to pick him
up from? Is he in the school band?
On the wrestling team? Does he
sing? Have you ever heard him
sing?
DANA:
Have you?
GRAY:
Have you seen him dance?
DANA:
Has anyone?
GRAY:
What should I wear to the funeral?
DANA:
Something nice.
There is a pause.
GRAY:
You know, I can really remember
something about the day I left for
Houston.
DANA:
(flipping through the
newspaper)
Yeah?
GRAY:
Jerry came in the kitchen and said
he needed twelve dollars for the
school food drive.
DANA:
Mmmmmm.
GRAY:
And it made my mind stop. It's
like so much of your life, you're
just cruising around on autopilot
and then someone says something
that shuts you down. You're brain
says, "Holy shit, stop right there!
We have to figure this out!"
Twelve dollars for the food drive.
Do they donate the money? Do you
have to buy food from the cafeteria
to donate? Was Jerry going to stop
at a grocery store and spend twelve
dollars on canned foods? I still
can't figure it out. Are you even
listening to me?
ROBERT enters the kitchen. He is wearing Wonderbread
packages as slippers.
ROBERT:
Can I go over to Beverly's after
practice? We're working on
something.
GRAY:
Drug deal?
ROBERT:
That's a good one. No, we're
building a small fusion reactor in
her father's workshop. We're going
to extort the government.
GRAY:
That's holding them hostage.
ROBERT:
You can't, like, kidnap the
government, man.
GRAY:
Good point.
ROBERT SNAPS HIS FINGERS and, a split second later, the phone
RINGS.
GRAY:
How in the hell did you do that?
ROBERT:
It's good to be the king.
GRAY:
Did you actually do that? Did you
make the phone ring?
ROBERT:
You want to know who it is?
DANA:
Will one of you please answer that?
GRAY:
No way. Bad ju-ju, I'm not
touching it.
ROBERT:
I know who it is and it's not for
me.
DANA lets out a SIGH and then stands and answers the phone.
DANA:
Yes, who's calling?
(beat)
Oh, of course. How is he doing?
(beat)
Why would I want to come there?
(beat)
Really?
(small beat)
REALLY?
(beat)
Oh my god, you're the best. I will
come right away.
INT. THE HOSPITAL - LATER
DANA, in knockout dress and heavy makeup, knocks on the door
in the intensive care unit. DIANNE GULOCKNER looks up from a
paperback romance novel. MICHAEL GULOCKNER is intubated and
in traction. The heart monitor BEEPS REGULARLY.
DANA:
Has he been here yet?
DIANNE:
No.
DANA:
(indicating MICHAEL)
How is he?
DIANNE:
(voice heavy with emotion)
The doctors said that one of his
lungs has collapsed. He's suffered
brain damage because of it. His
spleen was ruptured and they had to
remove it. My little boy is-
(she gets too choked up to
continue)
DANA:
I'm so sorry for you, Dianne. Will
he ever...
DIANNE:
They don't know.
(beat)
It's so much easier for you. Yours
is gone. I have to sit here and
watch mine fight for life with
every breath. I'm sorry. I
shouldn't have said that. This is
a tragedy.
DANA:
Yes, it is. Are you sure that
Jerry Vail is coming to interview
you?
DIANNE:
Well, they said they're sending
someone. They asked me to be here
between noon and four.
DANA'S face constricts.
DANA:
So you don't know for sure that it
will be him?
DIANNE:
Well, I just assumed-
DANA:
F your assumptions!
DIANNE:
(shocked)
Dana-
DANA:
No. How dare you? To say that
things are easier for me because my
son was KILLED? How f-ing dare
you!
DIANNE:
I said I was sorry.
DANA is storming out already. DIANNE calls her name after
her.
INT. GUIDANCE COUNSELOR'S OFFICE - DAY
ROBERT is seated facing three men: PRINCIPAL WHITE; VICE
PRINCIPAL AKIN; and COUNSELOR TROY.
TROY:
We want to extend a hand in a time
of need.
ROBERT:
I'm okay.
TROY:
Mrs. Trieger says you failed your
biology test yesterday.
WHITE:
Have you been sleeping okay,
Robert?
ROBERT:
I think that's a personal question
and I don't feel obligated to
answer it.
TROY:
What about your shoes?
We pan down to the Wonderbread packages.
ROBERT:
I thought I might try out a new
sport. Combine track with
swimming. Wear these things and
run on the water.
The three exchange a glance. TROY leans in.
TROY:
Do you think you're Jesus Christ,
Robert?
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - LATER
ROBERT is at his locker, busily cramming books into his
backpack. BEVERLY approaches him.
BEVERLY:
So what did they say?
ROBERT:
They said, uh, they said that I
don't have to worry about my grades
this year.
BEVERLY:
For real?
ROBERT:
Well, they worded it nicer. They
said it's not an excuse to goof off
or anything, but I won't fail if I
perform poorly. They said they
want my best effort and will take
care of me.
BEVERLY:
Holy shit! That's like winning the
lottery or something.
ROBERT:
I know. So I'm dropping out.
BEVERLY:
What?
ROBERT:
Fuck them. They wanted to bring my
mother in here to talk about my
attitude problem.
BEVERLY:
You just got a free pass for the
whole year and you're going to drop
out. I'd say that's an attitude
problem.
ROBERT:
(turning on her viciously)
Fuck you too, then!
BEVERLY:
So that's it? You'll just walk
away?
ROBERT:
I don't need this shit. I'll go
dig ditches and in two days we can
throw my brother in one. I'm out.
BEVERLY:
Hold up. Talk to me.
ROBERT:
It's a waste of time. There's
nothing to say anymore.
BEVERLY:
You know what you said about your
dad? How he doesn't feel any of
this?
ROBERT:
I'm not a drug addict like he is.
I feel things.
BEVERLY:
Sometimes you do, sometimes you
don't. Which is it?
ROBERT:
What do you want from me?
BEVERLY:
What do you feel right now?
ROBERT:
Nothing. There is nothing good
about my life.
BEVERLY:
But you just said you do feel
things. You feel angry?
ROBERT:
No point.
BEVERLY:
Yes, there is.
ROBERT:
I don't have the energy.
BEVERLY:
You're mad as hell. You just got a
free ride, so you're going to crash
the car. That's anger.
ROBERT:
Just lay off.
BEVERLY:
Put your books back.
ROBERT:
Why are you always on my case?!
BEVERLY:
Because you're not living right
now. You're on the other side.
ROBERT grabs her shirt at the shoulder and pushes her up
against the wall of lockers.
BEVERLY:
That's right. Own it.
ROBERT realizes he's laid his hands on her in an aggressive
manner and lets go.
BEVERLY:
A little thing about feelings,
Robert: Don't expect them to be
pleasant.
ROBERT slams the locker door shut.
INT. THE DANSLINGER BEDROOM - TWO DAYS LATER
GRAY is knotting a tie in front of the mirror. DANA is
already dressed, has been up for hours, and is ironing the
slacks that GRAY will wear. She notices a battery charger
sitting on a chair near the bed.
DANA:
What is this?
GRAY:
(without looking at her)
This is a necktie. I have to put a
knot in it.
DANA:
Don't tell me you're taking the
camera to the funeral.
GRAY:
(still knotting)
Why wouldn't I?
DANA:
This is a funeral, Gray. It's not
a graduation party. It's not a bar
mitzvah. We're not going to a
wedding.
GRAY:
A lot of our family will be there.
I want to get pictures of everyone.
DANA:
So save it for the wake after the
burial. They'll all be in here
eating our food.
GRAY:
I want to get a picture of the
casket going into the-
DANA:
Stop it!
He finally turns to face her.
GRAY:
What?
DANA:
Why won't you take this seriously?
We are burying our son today.
GRAY:
Well we wouldn't if I had my way.
There is a tense pause.
DANA:
You never mentioned cremation.
GRAY:
No, I did not. That's not what I'm
talking about.
DANA violently overturns the ironing board. GRAY is shocked
by the sudden violence.
DANA:
You think this is my fault!
GRAY:
Well I'm not the one that lets him
go running all over the county with
his friends.
DANA:
So you're admitting it?
GRAY:
I'm just saying, it wasn't my
fault.
DANA:
It was a f-ing accident!
GRAY:
Life is an accident. His life was
an accident. We didn't plan to
have another child and we shouldn't
have. That was your fault also.
DANA:
You are so low. I can't believe
you would throw this in my face.
GRAY:
What do you expect? You let our
children run wild!
DANA:
I let them live in the real world.
GRAY:
Where is the real world? Look at
this house. Look at our two cars
when most of the world has blisters
on their feet. Look at our pantry
full of food when half the world
goes to bed hungry. This isn't
real life, this is a god damn
protective bubble!
DANA:
If it's so safe in this place, why
did Jerry have to die?
GRAY:
(turning back to the
mirror)
Because you let him. You were a
bad mother.
Smoke has begun to rise from the carpet where the iron is
laying on it. GRAY notices it. He rushes to unplug it but
DANA blocks him.
DANA:
Let it burn! Let the f-ing house
burn to the ground if you hate it
here so much!
GRAY pushes past her and pulls the plug. He grabs the iron
and places it on the windowsill.
GRAY:
What has gotten into you?
DANA wipes tears from her eyes.
DANA:
Do you even have to ask?
GRAY:
Clean yourself up. Don't ruin this
day.
He picks up his slacks and walks into the bathroom.
EXT. CEMETERY DAY
About 30 people stand and watch as JERRY'S casket is lowered
into the ground. Each of the family members drop a scoop of
dirt onto the lid.
INT. THE DANSLINGER HOME - EVENING
The house is a wreck. Detritus of the wake litter the entire
home. GRAY is patrolling with a trash bag to clean up.
ROBERT and DANA are talking in the dining room.
DANA:
No. Absolutely not.
ROBERT:
It's my life. I'll do what I want.
DANA:
You may think you're an adult
already but you're not. And as
long as you live under our roof-
ROBERT:
Then I'll move out.
DANA:
You'll move out?
ROBERT:
Yeah. Ted's older brother needs a
new roommate. I already applied
for several jobs and I've got a map
of the bus routes downtown.
DANA:
What do you think you're doing?
ROBERT:
I'm doing what's right for the
family. Jerry's gone, so-
DANA:
That's right, Jerry is gone! So
you should be here for your family.
ROBERT:
It's too much pressure.
DANA:
What pressure?
ROBERT:
"Brush your teeth. Clear your
plate. Take out the trash. Get
good grades." It's all on me now.
You have no other successors. And
I don't want to be that guy.
DANA:
Gray! Gray, did you know about
this?
GRAY:
(walking into the room)
What is it now?
DANA:
Your son wants to drop out of
school and work at McDonald's.
GRAY:
Well, I think that's his choice.
DANA:
How many pills have you had?
GRAY:
My knee hurt a lot. I carried the
casket.
DANA:
This is not acceptable.
(turning back to ROBERT)
You do not get to make these
choices. We decide important
things as a family. And this is
not acceptable.
ROBERT:
Yeah, you said that.
DANA:
Gray, will you please help me?
GRAY:
Remember what Dr. Slydell said.
The grieving process is different
for each person.
DANA:
I'm not going to have my only son
throw away his life for no good
reason.
ROBERT:
I have my reasons.
DANA:
Like what?
ROBERT:
Like, I don't want to live with you
anymore. All you do is cry. And
dad doesn't do anything. He has no
emotion at all.
DANA:
That's because he's always full of
painkillers!
GRAY:
I am not.
DANA:
(offhanded)
Oh, please, Gray, you're whacked
out of your gourd.
(back to ROBERT)
You are going to stay in school and
get good grades and go to an Ivy
League school.
ROBERT:
It's not fair!
DANA:
I know it's not. What happened
with your brother wasn't fair
either. But in ten years, when
you're working some hedge fund and
making six figures, you will be
glad that I forced you to live a
wonderful life.
ROBERT:
Yeah, what happened to Jerry wasn't
fair and the guy that did it is
going away for twenty years in
prison. I get half the sentence
that he will and I didn't even do
anything wrong! Hey, you want to
see something? You want to see
something?
ROBERT reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small
automatic pistol.
DANA:
Give me that right now.
He puts the pistol up to his head and pulls the trigger.
There is no shot fired.
A flame springs up from the top of the gun. It is a replica
lighter. ROBERT laughs maniacally and DANA falls backwards
into one of the chairs.
ROBERT:
How about that? I could do that
for real.
DANA:
Gray, talk to him. He's your son.
GRAY:
I think you were a little more
involved in the birth than I was.
DANA covers her eyes with her hand.
DANA:
(still covering her eyes)
I'm going to count to ten. When I
get to ten, I will open my eyes and
I want you to both be somewhere
else. I don't want anymore arguing
tonight and I don't want anyone
making choices about anything. I
just want peace and quiet so that I
can watch Jerry Vai- the news.
INT. THE DANSLINGER HOME - MORNING
GRAY sits in a wooden chair staring out the window. DANA
quietly and cautiously creeps down the stairs to find him.
He is drinking cocoa.
DANA:
Penny for your thoughts?
GRAY looks up at her. He lets out a SIGH.
GRAY:
I'm damned, aren't I?
DANA:
What do you mean?
GRAY:
(with a small laugh)
What I said at the hospital.
DANA:
Oh, it's all a blur.
GRAY:
(long pause)
I said that now we're stuck with
the broken one.
(very remorseful)
I blew it.
DANA:
I don't know what you're talking
about. But I'm sick of it.
GRAY:
I'm trying to communicate. You
said that I don't do that enough.
DANA:
But bringing up the past-
GRAY:
No, this is important. I wonder,
sometimes. What life would be like
if we hadn't married.
DANA:
Now you're hurting my feelings.
GRAY:
Good! I'm glad.
DANA:
Why are you so wretched?
GRAY:
Think back to college. Do you
remember those days?
DANA:
Yes.
GRAY:
You're the cute young drama major
and I'm the debate team co-captain.
There was so much ahead of us. Did
you think we'd end up here?
DANA:
It's a lovely home.
GRAY:
There's no love in it anymore.
DANA:
(long pause)
Was there ever?
GRAY:
(wrapped up in himself)
So much potential. We were going
to change the world. Not like the
hippies had tried, levitating the
Pentagon or whatever, but we were
going to do it. We were going to
end racism and economic inequality
and sexism. We were going to erase
the debt record and start fresh. I
just don't know what it was all
for.
DANA:
You know something very
interesting?
GRAY:
What?
DANA:
I caught Robert listening to some
of our albums. The vinyl ones.
GRAY:
Yeah?
DANA:
The Replacements, REM, those albums
we keep in the garage. I didn't
know he would like them. I didn't
know we could pass down a piece of
ourselves.
GRAY:
I'm not sure I want to. Wasn't the
goal to give them a better life
than what we have?
DANA:
Is the cocoa still warm?
He looks down into his cup.
GRAY:
I'll be damned for all eternity for
what I said about him. How could I
say that about my own son?
DANA:
He can be a pill. Remember what he
did last night with that f-ing
lighter gun?
GRAY:
(offering the mug)
Do you want this? I can't finish
it.
DANA:
He said he could do it for real.
That was the part that scared me
the most.
GRAY:
I'm sure he was just-
DANA:
Should we watch him closer? Like a
suicide watch?
GRAY:
I'll talk to him about it.
There is a SOFT KNOCK at the door. DANA goes to answer it.
She finds 8 year old FERGUSON standing on the doorstep, his
mother's car parked in front of the house.
DANA:
Ferguson?
FERGUSON:
Yes, Mrs. Danslinger.
DANA is unsure. She notices he is holding an arm behind his
back.
DANA:
Did nobody tell you that-
FERGUSON:
I know about it. I came here to
say...I'm sorry.
DANA:
You're sorry?
FERGUSON:
For your loss.
DANA is touched.
DANA:
Thank you.
He pulls his arm from behind his back. He is holding a
plastic shopping bag.
FERGUSON:
They're army guys. Jerry left them
at my house.
DANA takes the bag. Before she can say thanks again, he
sprints off back to his mother's car. DANA waves at the car
and the horn BEEPS once, then drives away. DANA walks back
to the living room to find GRAY has lined his painkillers up
on the windowsill. There is more than the usual amount, what
looks to be a deadly amount. But she says nothing. She
walks up to JERRY'S room and lays the bag on his bed. She
straightens the comforter a bit. As she exits the room, she
sees a light on under the door of ROBERT'S room. She KNOCKS
on the door.
INT. ROBERT'S ROOM - SAME TIME
ROBERT is laying on his back, staring at the ceiling. When
he hears the KNOCK, he grabs a book and opens it randomly and
then calls out
ROBERT:
Enter.
DANA:
Are you already up?
ROBERT:
Yeah.
DANA:
Did you sleep?
ROBERT:
Yeah.
DANA:
(unsure)
Did you want to talk to someone?
ROBERT:
Just want to read my book.
DANA:
Okay.
She shuts the door. She hears the CLICK of the light being
turned off.